Acalypha virginica

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 1003. 1753.

Common names: Virginia threeseeded mercury
WeedyIllustratedEndemic
Synonyms: Acalypha digyneia Rafinesque
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 171. Mentioned on page 164, 170.

Herbs, annual, 1–5 dm, monoecious. Stems usually erect, sometimes ascending, pubescent and usually hirsute. Leaves: petiole 0.3–7 cm; blade narrowly rhombic to broadly lanceolate, 1–8 (–11) × 0.5–3 (–4) cm, base acute, margins serrate, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences bisexual, axillary; peduncle 0.1–0.6 cm, pistillate portion 0.7–1.5 × 1.3–1.7 cm or pistillate bract solitary, staminate portion 0.3–1 (–1.8) cm; allomorphic pistillate flowers absent. Pistillate bracts loosely arranged to crowded (inflorescence axis clearly to scarcely visible between bracts) or solitary, 6–13 × 9–20 mm, abaxial surface hirsute and sometimes stipitate-glandular; lobes (9–) 10–14 (–16), triangular, 1/4–1/2 bract length. Pistillate flowers: pistil 3-carpellate; styles multifid or laciniate. Capsules smooth, pubescent. Seeds (1.2–) 1.5–1.6 (–1.8) mm, minutely pitted.


Phenology: Flowering and fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat: Deciduous and evergreen woods, riverbanks, agricultural fields, disturbed areas.
Elevation: 30–1200 m.

Distribution

V12 225-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

Acalypha virginica overlaps geographically with A. rhomboidea but is more frequently found in grassy or prairielike habitats. See the discussion of 15. A. rhomboidea for notes on the nomenclatural and taxonomic confusion associated with these species.

Acalypha virginica and A. gracilens can sometimes be difficult to distinguish, especially when young. They can generally be distinguished by the pistillate bracts, which in A. virginica are hirsute and lack red sessile glands abaxially and in A. gracilens are sparsely pubescent and bear some red sessile glands abaxially.

Reports of Acalypha virginica from states other than those listed here are based on misidentifications.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"elongated" is not a number."connate" is not a number. "distinct" is not a number.

... more about "Acalypha virginica"
stipitate-glandular +  and hirsute +
acute;acuminate +
Geoffrey A. Levin +
Linnaeus +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (11 cm110 mm <br />0.11 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
narrowly rhombic;broadly lanceolate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
loosely arranged +  and crowded or solitary +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (?) +  and 2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +
thread-like +
Virginia threeseeded mercury +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Conn. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, Ky. +, La. +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, Nebr. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Va. +  and W.Va. +
30–1200 m. +
Deciduous and evergreen woods, riverbanks, agricultural fields, disturbed areas. +
drought-deciduous +  and persistent +
triangular +
palmate +  and pinnate +
crenate +  and subentire +
allomorphic +, pistillate +  and staminate +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
connate;distinct +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
Flowering and fruiting summer–fall. +
staminate +  and pistillate +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br />) +
0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
ellipsoid +  and subglobose +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br />) +
not petaloid +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
distinct +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Weedy +, Illustrated +  and Endemic +
ascending +  and erect +
hirsute +  and pubescent +
deciduous +  and persistent +
connate +  and distinct +
laciniate +  and multifid +
Acalypha digyneia +
Acalypha virginica +
Acalypha +
species +
spikelike +